Denotation of the Opening Sequence
The Opening Sequence begins with a cross dissolve from black to an establishing LS of a house. It then cross-dissolves to Laura in the shower, followed by, an MCU of her feet stepping out the shower and picking her towel up.

This then cross-dissolves to a MCU pan of the dressing table followed by two shots of Laura walking out the bathroom with the use of match on action. Laura drops her towel and immediately we are introduced to the dual narrative with a VLS of Barney walking through the park.

There is continuous cross-cutting between the two characters to show that the two parallel narratives are connected. There is a CU of Barney’s feet, tilt shot from behind and a pan as he walks round the corner of the street.

Meanwhile we keep cross-cutting back to Laura’s montage of shots which consist of her tying her dress and finishing her lipstick.

The two characters then exchange a short phone-conversation after which Laura walks down the stairs which is made up of a MS shot of Laura walking out the room, a pan as she walks to the stair case, a CU of her feet going down, and a pan of her walking round the hallway. Each of these shots use matches on action, very much inspired by shots from 'The Ring' (Verbinski, 2002).

We then see a MS of Barney walking towards the door with two CUs of him ringing the doorbell and waiting at the door. In between we cross-cut to Laura lighting a candle for their romantic dinner and then her reaction shot to the doorbell.

The final shot is a slow pan of Laura picking up the knife.